Jay ReatardMontreal, QC September 30

Jay Reatard has always prided himself on his energetic live shows, and his appearance at Pop Montreal was no different. The juxtaposition of his physically extraordinary headbanging coupled with his aggressive style of twee punk created an atmosphere where leather-clad metalheads happily moshed alongside skinny Pitchfork-reading hipsters. If you believe it fathomable, Jay plays faster and sings higher live, perhaps influenced by his two thrash metal-loving band-mates. Still, he manages to remain consistently close to his own more pop-influenced musical concept - he's the boss after all. At this festival stop, he proved good at enforcing his high position, thrusting his middle fingers at the crowd and his band in true rock-front-man fashion, whenever he felt it fit.